Parachute.



A. RAFFA.

PARACHUTE. APPLICATION FILED AUG-31, I915.

1,185,537. Patented May 30,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I Wfm w;

A. RAFFA.

PARACHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED. AUG- 3h I915. 1,185,537. Patented May 30,1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2- A. RAFFA.

PARACHUTE.- I APPLICATION FILED AUG-31; l9l 5.

Patnted' May 30, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 ANDREW name, or" BROOKLYN, NEW-YORK.

' rARAcHUTn.

Specification of Letters Patent;

Application filed August 31, 1915. Serial No. 43,262.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knowno that I, ANDREW Barre, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State I of aeronautsand capable of. collapsing in compact form for convenient disposaliuponan air craft so that the aeronaut, in the event of danger, may employthe parachute to effect his safe descent to the ground.

I One object of the invention is to provide a parachute which may becompactly stored for use in an emergency upon a flying machine .orairship as stated, and which includes as'part thereof a harness or suitto be worn by the aviator, thus insuring the positive support of theaviator during the descent of the parachute and avoiding any liabilityof the aviator losing his hold or becoming detached from the parachute.

' A further object of the invention is to provide a parachute of novelform and con-' st'ruction, comprising a lower or main parachute of theself-opening umbrella type, and an upper or auxiliary parachutecomprising a normally flexible or flaccid body adapted. to be filled anddistended by the air escaping through the vent in the lower parachuteand operating as a retarding and sustaining element giving the parachuteincreased supporting capacity, whereby a parachute of superiorefiiciency is produced.

a A still further object'of the invention is to provide a parachuteofthe described character and construction which embodies. novel 'meansfor connecting, sustaining and bracing or reinforcing the several Iparts, suspending the aviators suit or harness and in.- creasing thesustaining capacity of the parachute as a whole; v

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination andarrangement of parts herein'fully described and claimed,

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the parachute as it appears when infolded or' collapsed condition. Fig. 2- is a vertical longitudinalsectionof the same. Fig. 3 1s a view in elevation of the parachute as itappeal-s in extended orspread condition; Fig.

4 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal transverse section on the line 55 of Fig. 3looking upward. Fig. 6 is a horizontal transverse section takensubstantially on the same transverse plane and looking downward. Fig. '7is a sectional view through the runner of the main arachute on anenlarged scale.

Refl; rod or staff forming a main carrier or support for a lower mainparachut 2 and an auxiliary upperparachute 3. The lower or the stafi,ribs (ipivoted at their upper endsrring to the drawings 1 designates a-I Patented May 30, 1916..

main parachute 2 is of the umbrella type,

to the collar for folding and spreading motions, and sets of stretchers7 and 8'pivotally connecting the ribs with the runner. The runner shownin the present instance is composed of a pair of relatively movabletelescopic sleeves or tubes 9 and 10 inclosing a coiled spring 11. Thisspring 11 is compressed and tensioned when the runner is drawn downwardon the stafl for subsequent expansion to automatically spread or openthe frame umbrella-fashion, the ribs 6 having attached thereto acovering 12 of silk or other suitable flexible fabric, A catch 13 isprovided upon the lower sleeve 10 of the runner to engage and interlockwith a kerf or. keeper recess 14 in the staff, whereby the mainparachute is normallyheld folded or collapsed. This catch may bereleased or retracted-by the aviator or through the use of any suitablecontrolling means to open the parachute for a filling action when tieoccasion for its use arises. i

1 The rod or staff 1' carries a frusito-conical or flaring body 15arranged to form a pri- 2-, and which serves in conjunction with'themember 15 as a, source of communication between the lower parachute bodyand the upg per parachute body, whereby the "latter is adapted to beinflatedby the air escaping upwardly from the former. When the parachutebodies are collapsed the member 15 also serves as a form about which thelower portion of'the upper parachute body 3 may collapse and by which itwill be reinforced to protect the same from injury at and adjacent tothe point of junction of the two parachute bodies, when the parachute isin provided with a reinforcing netting 23, andsuitable reinforcing andstay connections are provided between the parts of the'parachute as awhole, which connections may or 7 may not be formed in part by thenetting cords. As shown in the present instance, reinforcing ropes orstrands 24. and 25 encircle the upper portion of the upper parachute,and extending between the upper annular reinforcing element 24 and thereins forcing ring 19 .are flexible stays 26, other stays 27 connectingthe lower annular reinforcing element 25 with theiiap or skirt 21 tostay said flap or skirt when spread and under. the pressure of theair-within the pocket 22. Small perforations'28may be:

provided in said flap for the slow escape of -.the confined air from thepocket 22 to prevent excess .pressure and liability of the breaking ofthe reinforcing stays 27 or of the flap beingforced up to an inoperativeposition. Stays 29 also extend from tlie reinforcing element 24 to rings30 at the ends of the ribs 6 to reinforce the s read lower parachute andmutually. sustain the two 'parachiutes. To the rings 30 are alsoattached suspending cords 31 which fasten t. the parachute a garment .orharness 31;

adapted to be worn by and secured to the person of the aeronaut, so thatat all times the aviator may-be in readiness to jump from the machinewith the parachute andto be fastenedto the parachute and supported for asafe descent to the ground. Y Y

I Normally the parachute in acollapsed or folded condition is suitablydisposed: upon some part of an'aeroplane or airship in position forbeing instantly cast off or launched by the aviator in the event ofdanger. When' the aviator launches himself with the parachute into freeair, he releases the.catch13 or said catch is automatically relea d sothat the main parachute will be instagi meats? compressed within themain parachute it arrests the speed of descent of the aviator anddischarges through the vent opening 15 into the upper or auxiliaryparachute 3' and fills and spreads or distends the same. The parachute 3when distended acts in the nature of ajretarder supplementing theresistance of the main parachute to descent, and this action is furtheraugmented or in- .creased by the sustaining action of the flap 21. The.compressed air discharging from the main parachute expands through thevent into the auxiliary parachute 3 and accumulates in said auxiliaryparachute until the latter is distended to its fullest capacity,whereupon the air will vent slowly through the outlet 20 while other airenters through the vent 15 to take its place.

1 It will thus be seen that the invention.

provides an instantaneously opening pa'ra-' chute which is adapted forimmediate use to carry theaeronautqto the ground with absolute safety,and that owing to the increased supporting capacity of the parachute itsefi- -c1ency is greatly increased over. parachutes taneously spread byits ,opening spring so as to with, air. As this air is of ordinaryconstruction.

Other'advantages will be evident to those skilled in the art from theforegoing description.

I claim 1. A parachute comprising a lower or main parachute -body of theself-opening umbrella type and having a vent in its crown portion,; andan upper or auxiliary parachute. body of the flexible balloon type andhaving an air inlet at its lower end com municating with the vent of themain para- 4 chute and a final vent at its upper end, said auxiliaryparachute to. provide an air'conscribed.

pocket or spa'ce,.- substantially as de- 2. A parachute comprisingalower main parachute body of the" self-opening um-" brella typeand'embodying a stafl', a runner,

ribs and stretchers and a fabric covering,

together with a collar carried by thestaff and to which the ribsare'pivoted, an upper parachute body of the flexible balloon typecomprisinga bag or sackhaving. an air inlet at its lowerendcommunicating. with said vent opening the main parachute, and havinga vent opening at its top and a depending flap at itsflniddle portion,suit-J,

able stays connecting and reinforcing the parts of the parachute, andanayiators har ness secured to the lower or main parachute. In testimonwhereof I afii my'signature in presence '0 two witnesses.

1 ANDREW RAFFA. Witnesses: A

JosErH MABTINIANO, Ammnw CHIPARI. I

